Hi Maggie, here’s some information supplied by the Housing Industry …

Hi Maggie, here’s some information supplied by the Housing Industry Association (HIA) about itself, upon my request.
It has about 400 members in the NT, around 20% in The Centre and 10% to 15% in Alice Springs.
It is Australia’s largest residential building organisation.
HIA is unique, as the only national industry association for all building professionals, representing the interests of the whole housing industry.
Our members include builders, trade contractors, sub-contractors, manufacturers and suppliers, and industry related professionals.
We provide a range of member services through our local and National network, as well as advocacy and lobbying on behalf of our Members.
Kind regards, Erwin Chlanda, Editor.

Help from fracking campaigner, or manipulating students?@ Alex Kelly: You don’t seem to have read our coverage with the attention that would justify this critique.
First, there is no need to preach to me about climate change reporting. I have been doing it for decades. The list of our independently-researched reports relevant to this region, on fracking, energy policy, renewables, the impacts of wildfire to name some of the subject headings, and the quoting of a broad scope of comment, is as long as my arm.
Second, the students’ right to operate without unsolicited interference from other organisations underpinned our entire reporting of the school strike.
It is a fact that allegations are abroad that the movement is exposed to influence and those allegations are made by Australia’s national daily plus other media. Far from “falling for” these allegations or “pushing” them, I treated them as part of the background against which local events unfold.
On the face of it, the actions by Ms Pietsch on Friday, without being invited, looked like playing into their hands.
In fact late this morning, as we are reporting, the ALEC CEO said it would have been better for a student to do the directing of the chants, not an ALEC employee.
My coverage was true, in the public interest, based on evidence, and produced including the appropriate right of reply.Erwin Chlanda, Editor.

Help from fracking campaigner, or manipulating students?Hi Laurie May and “Marie”, thank your for your comments.
The story makes the point that Ms Pietsch’s action may compromise the independence and resoluteness of the students’ actions described in our report the day before.
I am still looking forward to a reply from Ms Pietsch to the question I put to her.Erwin Chlanda, Editor.

Big crowd at local School Strike 4 Climate ActionHi “Phantom”,
I stand by my estimate. By no means all the people present were in the group photo. People were coming and going throughout the event which lasted from 7.45am to 9.30am. People also appear to have joined the parade through parts of the CBD. If there is a reliable count we would, of course, be glad to hear about it.Erwin Chlanda, Editor.

96 trees chopped down to ‘duplicate’ highwayHi Former Alice Local. I reported about the highway upgrade in November 2016 when the department gave a briefing to the Town Council. As I recall chopping down trees was not part of that briefing.Erwin Chlanda, Editor, Alice Springs News Online.